Category Archives: Federal Medical Assistance Percentage

Accused of a Medicare or Medicaid Overpayment? Remember That You May Fall Into an Exception That Makes You NOT Liable to Pay!!

Jan 4

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In today’s health care world, post-payment review audits on health care providers who accept Medicare and/or Medicaid have skyrocketed. Part of the reason is the enhanced fraud, waste, and abuse detections that were implanted under ObamaCare. Then the snowball effect occurred. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Systems (CMS), which is the single federal agency designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), via authority from Congress, to manage Medicare and Medicaid nationwide, started having positive statistics to show Congress.

Without question, the recovery audit contractors (RACs) have recouped millions upon millions of money since 2011, when implemented. Every financial report presented to Congress shows that the program more than pays for itself, because the RACs are paid on contingency.

Which pushed the snowball down the hill to get bigger and bigger and bigger…

However, I was reading recent, nationwide case law on Medicare and Medicaid provider overpayments reviews (I know, I am such a dork), and I realized that many attorneys that providers hire to defend their alleged overpayments have no idea about the exceptions found in Sections 1870 and 1879 of the Social Security Act (SSA). Why is this important? Good question. Glad you asked. Because of this legal jargon called stare decisis (let the decision stand). Like it or not, in American law, stare decisis is the legal doctrine that dictates once a Court has answered a question,the same question in other cases must elicit the same response from the same court or lower courts in that jurisdiction. In other words, if “Attorney Uneducated” argues on behalf of a health care provider and does a crappy job, that decision, if it is against the provider, must be applied similarly to other providers. In complete, unabashed, English – if a not-so-smart attorney is hired to defend a health care provider in the Medicare and/or Medicaid world, and yields a bad result, that bad result will be applied to all health care providers subsequently. That is scary! Bad laws are easily created through poor litigation.

A recent decision in the Central District of California (shocker), remanded the Medicare overpayment lawsuit back to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) level because the ALJ (or the provider’s attorney) failed to adequately assess whether the exceptions found in Sections 1870 and 1879 of the SSA applied to this individual provider. Prime Healthcare Servs.-Huntington Beach, LLC v. Hargan, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 205159 (Dec., 13, 2017).

The provider, in this case, was a California hospital. The overpayment was a whopping total of $5,380.30. I know, a small amount to fight in the court of law and expend hundreds of thousands of attorneys’ fees. But the hospital (I believe) wanted to make legal precedent. The issue is extremely important to hospitals across the county – if a patient is admitted as inpatient and a contractor of CMS determines in a post payment review that the patient should have been admitted as an outpatient – is the hospital liable for the difference between the outpatient reimbursement rate and the inpatient reimbursement rate? To those who do not know, the inpatient hospital rates are higher than outpatient. Because the issue was so important and would have affected the hospital’s reimbursement rates (and bottom line) in the future, the hospital appealed the alleged overpayment of $5,380.30. The hospital went through the five levels of Medicare appeals. See blog. It disagreed with the ALJ’s decision that upheld the alleged overpayment and requested judicial review.

Judicial review (in the health care context): When a health care providers presents evidence before an ALJ and the ALJ ruled against the provider.The provider appeals the ALJ decision to Superior Court, which stands in as if it is the Court of Appeals. What that means is – that at the judicial review level, providers cannot present new evidence or new testimony. The provider’s attorney must rely on the   official record or transcript from the ALJ level. This is why it is imperative that, at the ALJ level, you put forth your best evidence and testimony and have the best attorney, because the evidence and transcript created from the ALJ level is the only evidence allowed from judicial review.

The exceptions found in Sections 1870 and 1879 of the SSA allow for a provider to NOT pay back an alleged overpayment, even if medical necessity does not exist. It is considered a waiver of the provider’s overpayment. If a Court determines that services were not medically necessary, it must consider whether the overpayment should be waived under Sections 1870 and 1879.

Section 1879 limits a provider’s liability for services that are not medically necessary when it has been determined that the provider “did not know, and could not reasonably have been expected to know, that payment would not be made for such services.” 42 U.S.C. 1395pp(a). A provider is deemed to have actual or constructive knowledge of non-coverage based on its receipt of CMS notices, the Medicare manual, bulletins, and other written directives from CMS. In other words, if CMS published guidance on the issue, then you are out of luck with Section 1879. The Courts always hold that providers are responsible for keeping up-to-date on rules, regulations, and guidance from CMS. “Ignorance of the law is no defense.”

Section 1870 of the SSA permits providers to essentially be forgiven for overpayments discovered after a certain period of time so long as the provider is “without fault” in causing the overpayment. Basically, no intent is a valid defense.

Sections 1879 and 1870 are extraordinary, strong, legal defenses. Imagine, if your attorney is unfamiliar with these legal defenses.

In Prime Healthcare, the Court in the Central District of California held that the ALJ’s decision did not clearly apply the facts to the exceptions of Sections 1870 and 1879. I find this case extremely uplifting. The Judge, who was Judge Percy Anderson, wanted the provider to have a fair shake. Hey, even if the services were not medically necessary, the Judge wanted the ALJ to, at the least, determine whether an exception applied. I feel like these exceptions found in Sections 1870 and 1879 are wholly underutilized.

If you are accused of an overpayment…remember these exceptions!!!

Appeal! Appeal! Appeal!

Posted in Administrative Remedies, Affordable Care Act, Alleged Overpayment, CMS, Federal Government, Federal Law, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, Health Care Providers and Services, HHS, Knicole Emanuel, Lawsuit, Legal Analysis, Legislation, Medicaid, Medicaid Attorney, Medicaid Providers, Medicare, Medicare Administrative Contractor, Medicare and Medicaid Provider Audits, Medicare Appeal Process, Medicare Attorney, Medicare Audits, Medicare RAC, North Carolina, Obamacare, Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, Provider Appeals of Adverse Decisions for Medicare and Medicaid, RAC, RAC Audits, Regulatory Audits, Tentative Notices of Overpayment

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Medicaid and Its Role in Providing Relief During Natural Disasters

Aug 30

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As we know by now, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas and has expended utter disaster. It is the first hurricane to hit the state since Hurricane Ike in 2008. My prayers go out to all the Americans adversely affected by Hurricane Harvey. It is an utter catastrophe. Living in North Carolina, I am no stranger to hurricanes. But it made me think…when people lose everything to a natural disaster, do they become eligible for Medicaid? How does Medicaid offer relief during and after a natural disaster.

Medicaid is imperative during natural disasters because of its financial structure – the federal government pays a large percentage of its funds, without any limit. So if Texas spends more on Medicaid, the federal government spends more on Texas Medicaid. Obviously, if caps were applied to Medicaid, this would no longer be true. But, for now, the federal government’s promise to pay a percentage without a cap is key to natural disasters.

When disaster strikes, Medicaid serves as a valuable tool to quickly enroll affected people in temporary or permanent health care coverage and to allow for rapid access to medical care, including mental health services.

Two of the most infamous disasters, at least in recent US history, are the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks and Hurricane Katrina (now we can add Hurricane Harvey to the list). In both catastrophic events, people lost their homes, their businesses, suffered severe mental and physical anguish, and were in prompt need of health care. But applying for and receiving Medicaid is a voluminous, lengthy, and tedious process. And BTW, because of the natural disasters, no one has financial records to prove eligibility. Or, better yet, people were not eligible for Medicaid until the natural disaster. In that case, how do you prove eligibility for Medicaid? Take a selfie in front of where your house used to be? These are real issues with which survivors of natural disasters must grapple.

At the time of the 2001 attacks, New York already was facing a grave health care coverage quandary. Before 9/11, an estimated 1.6 million New Yorkers did not have health insurance. To apply for Medicaid, a person had to fill out an 8-page application, undergo a resource test and multiple requirements to document income and assets. Interestingly, in the case of 9/11, the terrorist attacks caused New York to lose its ability for people to electronically apply for Medicaid. But without the need of Congressional action, then-Governor Pataki announced that, low income residents would receive Medicaid by filling out a very short (one-page) questionnaire. Almost no documents were required. And coverage began immediately. Medicaid paid for over $670 million in post-9/11 health care costs.

In the case of Katrina, Louisiana straightaway stationed Medicaid employees at the FEMA shelters to enroll people in Medicaid. Louisiana also amended the Medicaid rules and allowed out-of-state providers to render services without prior authorization. Evacuees fled from Louisiana to surrounding states, and the evacuees, in many instances, had medical needs. Hundreds upon thousands of evacuees sought to use Medicaid and SCHIP to support their health needs in states in in which they were not a resident; however, four primary issues emerged. First, individuals eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP in their “Home” states needed to be eligible for and enroll in the “Host” state programs to receive assistance. Second, many individuals were newly uninsured and need to apply for Medicaid. Third, without Medicaid and SCHIP reimbursement, providers in the “Host” states could not be compensated for care provided to evacuees. Finally, because Medicaid and SCHIP are federal-state matching programs, “Host” states faced increased costs from enrolling evacuees. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved, on an expedited basis, 17 Waivers to allow survivors of Hurricane Katrina to receive health care via Medicaid in approximately 15 states.

We can expect similar outcomes in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. HHS Secretary Price stated in an interview, “HHS is taking the necessary measures and has mobilized the resources to provide immediate assistance to those affected by Hurricane Harvey. We recognize the gravity of the situation in Texas, and the declaration of a public health emergency will provide additional flexibility and authority to help those who have been impacted by the storm.”

HHS has already deployed approximately 550 personnel to affected areas to help state and local authorities respond to communities’ medical needs, and additional staff is on standby to assist, if needed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Posted in Access to Care, CMS, Federal Government, Federal Law, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, Health Care Providers and Services, HHS, Knicole Emanuel, Legal Analysis, Legislation, Medicaid, Medicaid Advocate, Medicaid Attorney, Medicaid Costs, Medicaid Eligibility, Medicaid Providers, Medicaid Recipients, Medicaid Reimbursements, Medicaid Services, Medicaid Spending, North Carolina, Number of Medicaid Enrollees, Prior Authorization, Taxes

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Trump-caid: Medicaid Under the AHCA

Apr 19

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It is still unclear whether the American Health Care Act (AHCA), or  H.R. 1628, will be signed into law. On March 6, 2017, the House Energy & Commerce Committee (E&C) and Ways & Means Committee (W&M) officially released the draft bill. The latest action was on April 6, 2017, H.Res.254 — 115th Congress (2017-2018) was placed on the House calendar. The rule provides for further consideration of H.R. 1628. The rule also provides that the further amendment printed Rules Committee Report 115-88 shall be considered as adopted.

So what exactly would AHCA change in relation to Medicaid?

For over fifty (50) years, states have created and implemented Medicaid programs entirely dependent on federal contributions. Medicaid is based on federal law. Although each individual state may have slight variances in the Medicaid program, because the state Medicaid programs must follow federal law, the state Medicaid programs are surprisingly similar. An example of a slight variance is that some Medicaid services are voluntary, like personal care services (PCS); some states offer PCS paid by Medicaid and others do not.

Currently, the federal government does not cap the federal contribution. However much a state spends – no matter how exorbitant – the federal government will match (at whatever percentage allotted for that state). For example, the federal government pays 66.2% of North Carolina’s Medicaid spending. Which means, BTW, that $264,800.00 of Cardinal’s CEO’s salary is funded by the federal government. These percentages are called Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP).

All this may change under the American Health Care Act (AHCA), or  H.R. 1628, as approved by the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Budget, and Rules Committees.

The AHCA proposes many changes from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) germane to Medicaid. In my humble opinion, some of the replacements are stellar; others are not. No one (sane and logical) could argue that the ACA was perfect legislation for providers, employers, or recipients. It was not. It mandated that employers pay for health care insurance for their employees, which caused the number of part-time workers to explode. The ACA mandated the states to suspend Medicaid reimbursements upon a credible allegation of fraud, which, basically, could be a disgruntled employee lying with an anonymous accusation. This provision put many providers out of business without due process (Remember New Mexico?). The ACA also put levers in place that meant younger policyholders were subsidizing older ones. Healthy, young adults were paying for older adults. The ACA reduced payments for Medicare Advantage plans, hospitals, and other providers to save money. There was also a provider shortage due to the low reimbursement rates and regulatory audits. The Affordable Care Act was anything but affordable. At least the American Health Care Act does not protest itself to be affordable.

Here are some of the most poignant “repeal and replace” items in Trump-caid:

1. Health Savings Accounts

The AHCA will encourage the use of Health Savings Accounts by increasing annual tax free contribution limits. It will also modify ACA premium tax credits for 2018-2019 to increase the amount for younger adults and to reduce the amount for older adults. In 2020, the AHCA will replace ACA income-based tax credits with flat tax credits adjusted for age. Eligibility for new tax credits phases out at income levels between $75,000 and $115,000.

2. Cap on federal contributions

Beginning in 2020, the AHCA would cap federal contributions to state Medicaid programs. This will result in huge federal savings, but cause severe shortages on the state level. The federal per-enrollee caps would be based on states’ Medicaid expenditures in 2016, trended forward to 2019. A uniform, federal capped system would provide fiscal security for the federal government and shift the risk of over spending on the states.

The following categories would be exempt from the per-capita allotments (i.e. paid for outside of the per-capita caps): DSH payments, administrative payments, individuals covered under CHIP Medicaid expansion program or who receive medical assistance from an IHS facility, breast and cervical cancer patients, and partial benefit-enrollees

With the risk on the states, there is a high probability that optional Medicaid services, such as PCS, may be cut from the budget. If PCS were eliminated, more patients would enter long-term care facilities and fewer patients would be able to remain in their homes. The House bill essentially eliminates the enhanced funding levels that made possible states’ expansion of Medicaid to their poorest working-age adult residents. In all, 31 states expanded Medicaid under the ACA. While the House Bill does not prohibit Medicaid expansion; expansion will be difficult to remain funded by the states.

medicaidexpansion2017

3. Presumptive eligibility program

The House bill would end the ACA’s special hospital presumptive eligibility program, under which hospitals can temporarily enroll patients who “appear” to be eligible and begin to get paid for their care while their full applications are pending. (What in the world does “appear to be eligible” mean. Is it similar to profiling?)

4. Home equity and eligibility

Under current law, states disregard the value of a home when determining Medicaid eligibility for an individual in need of long-term community-supported care.  The bill would take away this state flexibility, capping the equity value at $500,000.

5. Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments

The AHCA would repeal the Medicaid DSH reductions set in motion by the ACA in 2018 for non-expansion States, and 2020 for expansion states.

6. Section 1115 Waivers

States with Waivers will not be penalized for having a Waiver.  In other words, the expenses and payments under the Waiver will be treated in the same manner as if the state did not have a Waiver. However, if a state’s waiver contains payment limitations, the limitations in the new law, not the Waiver, apply.

Again, the future of the AHCA is uncertain. We all remain watchful. One change that I would like to see is that due process is afforded to providers prior to suspension of all funds when there is a credible allegation of fraud.

Posted in Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Alleged Overpayment, CMS, Decrease in Medicaid Spending, Due process, Eligibilty, Federal Government, Federal Law, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, Health Care Providers and Services, HHS, Home Health Care Agencies, Home Health Services, Hospitals, Knicole Emanuel, Legal Analysis, Legal Remedies for Medicaid Providers, Legislation, Long Term Care Facilities, Medicaid, Medicaid Advocate, Medicaid Appeals, Medicaid Attorney, Medicaid Audits, Medicaid Billing, Medicaid Budget, Medicaid Contracts, Medicaid Costs, Medicaid Eligibility, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Funds, Medicaid Providers, Medicaid Reform, Medicaid Reimbursements, Medicaid Services, Medicaid Spending, Medicare and Medicaid Provider Audits, NC DHHS, Obamacare, Personal Care Services, Post-Payment Reviews, Suspension of Medicaid Payments, Tax Dollars, Taxes, Taxpayers

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The Feds Criminally Investigating DHHS! Is Its Scope Too Narrow and What Are Possible Consequences?

Oct 1

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DHHS is under criminal investigation by the federal government for allegedly overpaying employees without a bid process, and, simply, mismanaging and overspending our Medicaid tax dollars. See blog.

When I first started writing this blog, I opined that the federal investigation should be broadened. While I still believe so, the results of broadening the scope of a federal investigation could be catastrophic for our Medicaid providers and recipients. So I am metaphorically torn between wanting to shine light on tax payer waste and wanting to shield NC Medicaid providers and recipients from the consequences of penalties and sanctions on NC DHHS. Because, think about it, who would be harmed if NC lost federal funding for Medicaid?

[BTW, of note: These subpoenas were received July 28, 2015. Aldona Wos announced her resignation on August 5, 2015, after receipt of subpoenas. The Subpoenas demand an appearance on August 18, 2015, which, obviously, has already passed, yet we have no intel as to the occurrences on August 18, 2015. If anyone has information, let me know.]

Let’s explore:

Does this criminal investigation go far enough? Should the feds investigate more Medicaid mismanagement over and above the salaries of DHHS employees? What are the potential consequences if NC is sanctioned for violating Medicaid regulations? How could a sanction affect providers and recipients?

DHHS’ employees are not the only highly compensated parties when it comes to our Medicaid dollars! It is without question that the contracts with vendors with whom DHHS contracts contain astronomically high figures. For example, DHHS hired Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) to implement the NCTracks software for $265 million. Furthermore, there is no mention of the lack of supervision of the managed care organizations (MCOs) and the compensation for executives of MCOs being equal to that of the President of the United States in the Subpoenas.

The subpoenas are limited in scope as to documents related to hiring and the employment terms surrounding DHHS employees. As I just said, there is no mention of violations of bid processes for vendors or contractors, except as to Alvarez & Marsal, and nothing as to the MCOs.

Specifically, the subpoena is requesting documents germane to the following:

  • Les Merritt, a former state auditor who stepped down from the North Carolina State Ethics Commission after WRAL News raised questions about potential conflicts of interest created by his service contract with DHHS;
  • Thomas Adams, a former chief of staff who received more than $37,000 as “severance” after he served just one month on the job;
  • Angie Sligh, the former director of the state’s upgraded Medicaid payment system who faced allegations of nepotism and the waste of $1.6 million in payments to under-qualified workers for wages, unjustified overtime and holiday pay in a 2015 state audit;
  • Joe Hauck, an employee of Wos’ husband who landed a lucrative contract that put him among the highest-paid workers at DHHS;
  • Alvarez & Marsal, a consulting firm overseeing agency budget forecasting under a no-bid contract that has nearly tripled in value, to at least $8 million;

See WRAL.com.

Possible penalties:

Most likely, the penalties imposed would be more civil in nature and encompass suspensions, recoupments, and/or reductions to the federal matching. Possibly a complete termination of all federal matching funds, at the worst.

42 CFR Part 430, Subpart C – of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) covers “Grants; Reviews and Audits; Withholding for Failure To Comply; Deferral and Disallowance of Claims; Reduction of Federal Medicaid Payments”

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is charged with the oversight of all 50 states’ management of Medicaid, which makes CMS very busy and with solid job security.

“The Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) periodically audits State operations in order to determine whether—(1) The program is being operated in a cost-efficient manner; and
(2) Funds are being properly expended for the purposes for which they were appropriated under Federal and State law and regulations.” 42 CFR 430.33.

CMS may withhold federal funding, although reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing is required (unlike the reimbursement suspensions from providers upon “credible” (or not) allegations of fraud).

If the Administrator of a hearing finds North Carolina non compliant with federal regulations, CMS may withhold, in whole or in part, our reimbursements until we remedy such deficiency. Similar to health care providers’ appeals, if the State of North Carolina is dissatisfied with the result of the hearing, NC may file for Judicial Review. Theoretically, NC could go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Other penalties could include reductions of (1) the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage; (2) the amount of State expenditures subject to FFP; (3) the rates of FFP; and/or (4) the amount otherwise payable to the state.

As a reminder, the penalties listed above are civil penalties, and NC is under criminal investigation; however, I could not fathom that the criminal penalties would differ far from the civil allowable penalties. What are the feds going to do? Throw Wos in jail? Highly unlikely.

The subpoena was addressed to:

subpoena

NC DHHS, attention the Custodian of Records. In NC, public records requests go to Kevin V. Howell, Legal Communications Coordinator, DHHS.

But is the federal government’s criminal investigation of DHHS too narrow in scope?

If we are investigating DHHS employees’ salaries and bid processes, should we not also look into the salaries of DHHS’ agents, such as the salaries for employees of MCOs? And the contracts’ price tags for DHHS vendors?

Turning to the MCOs, who are the managers of a fire hose of Medicaid funds with little to no supervision, I liken the MCOs’ current stance on the tax dollars provided to the MCOs as the Lion, who hunted with the Fox and the Jackal from Aesop’s Fables.

The Lion went once a-hunting along with the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question how the spoil should be divided. “Quarter me this Stag,” roared the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced judgment: The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will dare to lay a paw upon it.”

“Humph,” grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl:

Moral of Aesop’s Fable: “You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil.”

At least as to DHHS employees’ salaries, the federal government is investigating any potential mismanagement of Medicaid funds due to exorbitant salaries, which were compensated with tax dollars.

Maybe this investigation is only the beginning of more forced accountability as to mismanaging tax dollars with Medicaid administrative costs.

One can hope…(but you do not always want what you wish for…because the consequences to our state could be dire if the investigation were broadened and non compliance found).

Possible Ramifications:

Let us quickly contemplate the possible consequences of any of the above-mentioned penalties, whether civil or criminal in nature, on Medicaid recipients.

To the extent that you believe that the reimbursement rates are already too low, that medically necessary services are not being authorized, that limitations to the amount services are being unduly enforced…Imagine that NC lost our federal funding completely. We would lose approximately 60% of our Medicaid budget.

All our “voluntary” Medicaid-covered services would, most likely, be terminated. Personal care services (PCS) is an optional Medicaid-covered service.

With only 40% of our Medicaid budget, I could not imagine that we would have much money left to pay providers for services rendered to Medicaid recipients after paying our hefty administrative costs, including overhead,payroll, vendor contracts, MCO disbursements, etc. We may even be forced to breach our contracts with our vendors for lack of funds, which would cause us to incur additional expenses.

All Medicaid providers could not be paid. Without payments to providers, Medicaid recipients would not receive medically necessary services.

Basically, it would be the next episode of “Fear the Walking Dead.”

Hopefully, because the ramifications of such penalties would be so drastic, the federal government will not impose such sanctions lightly. Sanctions of such magnitude would be a last resort if we simply refused to remedy whatever deficiencies are found.

Otherwise, it could be the zombie apocalypse, but the Lion’s would be forced to share.

Posted in "Single State Agency", Accountability, Administrative Remedies, Agency, Appeal Rights, CMS, Computer Sciences Corporation, Credible Allegations of Fraud, CSC, Division of Medical Assistance, Due process, Federal Government, Federal Law, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, Fraud, General Assembly, Health Care Providers and Services, HHS, Knicole Emanuel, Lawsuit, Legal Analysis, Legal Remedies for Medicaid Providers, Managed Care, Medicaid, Medicaid Advocate, Medicaid Appeals, Medicaid Attorney, Medicaid Audits, Medicaid Contracts, Medicaid Costs, Medicaid Fraud, Medicaid Funds, Medicaid Providers, Medicaid Recoupment, Medicaid Reimbursements, Medicare and Medicaid Provider Audits, NC, NC DHHS, North Carolina, Prosecution, Provider Appeals of Adverse Decisions for Medicare and Medicaid, Supreme Court, Tax Dollars, Taxes, Taxpayers

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The Future of Medicaid, a POPPED Balloon, and Proposals

May 1

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There are more people on Medicaid than Medicare.

Think about that.  There are more people in America who qualify for Medicaid than Medicare.  Yet, as a nation, we spend more on Medicare than Medicaid.  (I assume because the older population requires more expensive services).  58 million people relied on Medicaid in 2012 as their insurance.

And Medicaid is growing.  There is no question that Medicaid is growing.  When I say Medicaid is growing, I mean the population dependent on Medicaid is growing, the demand for services covered is growing, and the amount of money required to satisfy the demand is growing.  This means that every year we will spend more and more on Medicaid.  Logically, at some point, at its current growth pattern, there will come a point at which we can no longer afford to sustain the Medicaid budget.

If you think of the Medicaid budget as a super, large balloon, imagine trying to inflate the balloon more and more.  At some point, the balloon cannot withstand the amount of air being put into it and it…POPS.

Will Medicaid eventually POP if we keep cramming more people into it, demanding more services, and demanding more money to pay for the increased services?

First, let’s look at the amount of money spent on Medicaid last year.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just released the 2013 Actuarial Report on the Financial Outlook on Medicaid and its report considers the effect of Obamacare.

The CMS report found that total Medicaid outlays in 2012 were $431.9 billion.

The feds put in $250.5 billion or 58%.  States paid $181.4 billion or 42%.  In 2011, the federal government’s percentage of the whole Medicaid expenditure was 64%.

The CMS report also made future projections.

“We estimate that the [Affordable Care] Act will increase the number of Medicaid enrollees by about 18 million in 2022 and that Medicaid costs will grow significantly as a result of these changes starting in 2014.”

The 10 year projection, according to the report, is an increase in expenditures at an annual rate of 7.1%.  By 2022, the expenditures on Medicaid will be $853.6 billion.

Just for some perspective…a billion is a thousand million.

If you sat down to count from one to one billion, you would be counting for 95 years (go ahead…try it!).

If I gave you $1000 per day (not counting interest), how long would it take you to receive one billion dollars?  Answer: 2,737.85 years (2,737 years, 10 months, 7 days).  Now multiply 2,737.85 years by 853.6.

That’s a lot of years!!

In the next ten years, average enrollment is projected to reach 80.9 million in 2022.  It is estimated that, currently, 316 million people live in America.

So the question becomes, how can we reform, change, alter (whatever verb you want to use) Medicaid so that we can ensure that the future of Medicaid is not a POPPED balloon?  While I do not have the answer to this, I do have some ideas.

According to the CMS report, per enrollee spending for health goods and services was estimated to be $6,641 in 2012.  I find this number interesting because, theoretically, each enrollee could use $6,641 to purchase private insurance.

Remember my blog: “A Modest Proposal?” For that blog, I used the number $7777.78 per enrollee to purchase private insurance, which would require an increase in Medicaid spending assuming we give $7,777.78 to each enrollee.  But think of this…the amount would be a known amount.  Not a variable.

My health care, along with health care for my husband, costs $9,000/year.  My cost includes two people.  If I wanted individual insurance it would only have cost $228/month or $2,736/year.

What are other options to decrease the future Medicaid budgets and to avoid the big POP:

  • Decrease Medicaid reimbursements (really? Let’s make LESS providers accept Medicaid);
  • Decrease covered services (I would hope this idea is obviously stupid);
  • Decrease the number of recipients (I believe the ACA shot this one out of the water);
  • Create a hard cap on Medicaid spending and refuse to allow services over the cap regardless of the medical necessity (Again, I would hope this idea is obviously stupid);
  • Decrease administrative costs (this is apparently an impossible feat);
  • Create more difficult standards for medical necessity (I believe the ADA would have something to say about that); or
  • Print more money (Hmmmm…can we say inflation?).

Please, if anyone else has a good idea, let me, or, better yet, your General Assembly, know.

Because without question the future of Medicaid is larger and more expensive than today.  We want to avoid that…

POP!!

Posted in Affordable Care Act, Agency, Budget, CMS, Division of Medical Assistance, Eligibilty, Federal Government, Federal Law, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, Health Care Providers and Services, HHS, Increase in Medicaid Spending, Legislation, Medicaid, Medicaid Billing, Medicaid Budget, Medicaid Costs, Medicaid Eligibility, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Funds, Medicaid Providers, Medicaid Recipients, Medicaid Reform, Medicaid Reimbursements, Medicaid Services, Medicaid Spending, Medicare, Medicare Budget, NC, NC DHHS, North Carolina, Obamacare, Privatization, Reduction in Medicaid Payments, Reductions, Tax Dollars, Taxes, Taxpayers

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NC’s Price of Medicaid Expansion: And the Federal Gov’s Contribution

Jan 26

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Exactly  how much has the federal government contributed to NC Medicaid?  Throughout the years, I’ve heard 75%, 2/3, and as low as 60%.  So I wanted to find out exactly how much the federal government gives North Carolina. I also wanted to compare the percentage to other states. And what will change if NC expands Medicaid? What changes?

Turns out that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (“CMS”) offers the historical stats I wanted.

In 2009 (the data for 2010 is not available yet, although it seems that by 2013 the data should be available), North Carolina’s population was 9,380,884.  1,974,287 of those residents were Medicaid enrolled.

In 2009, total Medicaid pay-outs were $10,888,466,523.00 (Yes, folks, that is ten BILLION).

The federal government paid $7,818,867.023.00 or 71.81%.  The State paid $3,069,599,500.00 or 28.29%. The federal government’s 2009 contribution to NC’s Medicaid was higher than the national average, which was 66.30% in 2009.  However, that was not always the case. In 2008, the federal government contributed 64.22% to NC’s Medicaid expenditures. Although it is important to note that in 2008, the national average declined to 57.03%. So NC was still above average.

But why the huge discrepancy? Why in 2008 does the federal government, on average, pay for a little over half the states’ Medicaid costs, and, in 2009, pay, on average, 2/3 of the states’ Medicaid costs?

The federal government pays states for a specified percentage of program expenditures, called the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP).

FMAP varies by state based on criteria such as per capita income. The regular average state FMAP is 57%, but ranges from 50% (the minimum) for wealthier states up to 75% in states with lower per capita incomes (the maximum regular FMAP is 82 %). 

This all sounds, to me, like a lot of statistical jargon.  So I went to NC’s historical FMAPs. According to statehealthfacts.org, NC’s FMAP in 2009 was 74.51%. But, according to CMS, the actual federal Medicaid payment was 71.81%. So why the difference? Maybe one of the websites incorrectly calculated the FMAP.  If so, it seems (just by gut) that CMS would have the actual Medicaid costs; thus providing more accurate data.  The State Health Facts website also projected NC’s FMAP up through 2013, so again, it appears that the State Health Facts’ data were more projections.  Just in case you were wondering, the State Health Facts website projected NC’s FMAP for 2013 as 65.51%.

Why will it go down? Apparently, all the factors that contribute to NC’s FMAP.

Well, we also have to consider Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If NC expands Medicaid, from 2014-2016, the federal government will cover 100% of our Medicaid costs (not ALL Medicaid costs) but 100% of costs to cover newly-covered Medicaid recipients.  For example, if the projections are correct and 700,000 more North Carolinians will be covered if NC accepts the ACA, than the federal government will pay for 100% of the newly-eligible 700,000 Medicaid recipients, or, in other words, the federal government will pay 100% of approximately 35% of NC Medicaid costs. The rest of the NC Medicaid costs in 2014, or 65% of overall Medicaid costs, will be paid by the federal government at the normal FMAP amount (somewhere between 60-66%)

Let’s throw out some more projections: Remember, in 2009, the State paid $3,069,599,500.00 or 28.29%. But the FMAP was high at 71.81%. The State Health Facts website projected NC’s FMAP as 65.51% in 2013.  So let’s use 65.51% for 2014 when it is projected that 700,000 more North Carolinians will be Medicaid recipients. In 2009, 1,974,287 people in North Carolina were Medicaid recipients.  For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that by 2014 the number rounds up to 2,000,000 and the projected 700,000 additional Medicaid recipients occurred, as predicted, for a grand total of 2,700,000 North Carolina residents depending on Medicaid.

If we paid $10,888,466,523.00 for 1,974,287 people (both federal money and state money), I think it is a safe approximation that we would pay approximately $11,000,000,000.00 (this number is merely for this example) for 2,000,000 people (the increase in money is for an estimated additional 25,713 Medicaid recipients and the decrease in our projected FMAP). The additional 700,000 Medicaid recipients would cost approximately another $3,850,000,000.00 (assuming about 35% increase is correct with 700,000 more Medicaid recipients).

Thus the projected  grand total of Medicaid costs to NC in 2014 (if NC expands Medicaid) will be approximately $14,738,466,523.00.  The federal government, based on these estimations, will pay approximately $3,850,000,000 (100% of newly-eligible persons’ Medicaid costs) + $7,150,000,000 (65% of regular Medicaid costs based on the FMAP) for a total of 11,000,000,000.00.  Leaving the $3,738,466,523.00 for North Carolina to pay.

Seems pretty sweet, right? I mean, our Medicaid costs do not increase terribly and the federal government pays for way more Medicaid costs in NC. However, this sweet deal does not last. Starting sometime after 2016 (the federal government states that the decrease will be “phased in”), the federal government’s portion for the newly-eligible Medicaid recipients decreases from 100% to 90%.

For NC, just the 10%  increase in 2017 means approximately $1,100,000,000.00, increasing NC’s costs for Medicaid payments to up around $4.8 billion. In NC Medicaid history, NC has never paid over 4 billion. But NC will pay way over $4.8 billion in only four years under the ACA.

This is not a blog against Medicaid expansion. I am merely pointing out the financial undertakings and consequences if NC expands. If NC expands, NC must be ready to pay for the Medicaid program. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Affordable Care Act, CMS, Federal Law, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, Legislation, Medicaid, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Funds, North Carolina, Obamacare

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